Snake in the Grass
by puppyangel7
Summary: After the Black Hood messes with one of the Serpents, Jughead is forced to seek revenge. What happens when he finds out Betty is involved? Sweet Pea contemplates his feelings for Toni. Schools merge.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Riverdale. The CW does. No copyright infringement is intended.**

"I need a name," the Black Hood had said. This was the second time and now she had to provide a name.

The first name had been Nick St Claire .

"I need a name now!" The Black Hood had all but practically yelled.

"Fine. Okay," Betty said, hesitating. "Toni Topaz," she managed to say.

"Toni Topaz it is," the Black Hood repeated and before she could say anything else he had hung up.

Betty sat in her bed staring at the phone in front of her. Nick St. Claire had been found floating in Sweetwater River and now Toni would be found there too. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she thought about it.

A part of her wanted to call Juggie and tell him to warn Toni, but she knew that would be futile.

* * *

"Toni Topaz, Toni Topaz. Okay she's absent," Mr. Philips said, bubbling in the attendance. Jughead glanced at the empty seat across from him. Where the hell could she be? They had been together last night watching Halloween on his laptop. They had fallen asleep on his couch but when he woke up this morning she was gone.

"Everyone please turn to page 151. Now who can tell me why George did what he did to Lennie?"

"Sweet Pea?" the teacher called.

"What exactly did George do to Lennie?" Sweet Pea asked. The class erupted in laughter.

"Someone obviously didn't do the reading," Mr. Philips said. "Jughead?"

"George did what he felt he had to do," Jughead said, "he didn't see no other alternative. If he hadn't chosen this difficult, though, incredibly unsettling choice, Lennie would always been an impediment to his dream." As Jughead answered he couldn't help but think of Betty. Had she broken up with him, because he was more of an obstacle in her life? Was he in the way of her perfect future?

Class went quickly as everyone wrote an essay of whether George had made the right decision. Jughead took out his phone and texted Toni.

Where u at?

Lunch was boring without Toni. He missed her sarcastic wit and the way she grumbled about the food on her tray.

"You okay?"

"Hey, Sweet Pea. You've seen Toni?"

"Wasn't she with you last night?" Sweet Pea said. "No I haven't seen her."

School ended and Jughead hoped to see Toni in his trailer but when he swung the door open, Hot Dog hopped on him. Hot Dog farted happily as he licked Jughead's face.

"Hey, buddy. Have you seen Toni?" Jug said, patting the dog's fur.

Jughead dialed and heard three rings. He was going to hang up when the ringing finally stopped. Pressing his ear ever so closely, he heard someone breathing on the other side.

"Toni, stop it. This isn't funny anymore. I can hear you breathing."

The breathing got louder. "I'm not laughing. I know we saw that scary movie yesterday, but you are taking it too far."

The breathing got louder and that caused Jughead's heart to beat faster.

"Toni?!"

The breathing got deeper and then there was silence.

Jughead called all the Serpents and told them what happened.

"We will search for her and if that includes going North we will. This isn't something she normally does," Sweet Pea said.

Jughead thanked them and was hopeful that they would find her. He rode to Pop's Diner on his motorcycle and rushed in. He would get a quick bite and then continue his search.

"Hey, Pop's. You haven't seen a girl with pink hair in here, have you?"

"No I would remember her. That's for sure. Is it going to be the usual?"

"Thanks Pop's, and yes."

Slurping his milkshake, Jug found he didn't really have an appetite. Worry did that to you. He was about to leave when Archie walked in. He hadn't seen Archie since the whole breakup thing two weeks ago, and he was the last person he wanted to see now.

"Jughead, hi," Archie said.

"Hello," Jug said with a sigh and headed for the door.

"Hey Jug, is something up? Besides-"

Jughead debated on whether he should tell Archie what happened and decided it wouldn't hurt.

"My friend Toni is missing. I mean I haven't seen her all day and I know it's just a day but I think something's wrong, Arch."

"I'll help you find her," Archie said and they headed out. "What does she look like?"

"Well she has pink hair. She's short with caramel skin and brown eyes. Oh and I forgot to mention she's a Southside Serpent."

"She sounds hot," Archie said.

Jughead nodded and smirked. They went to Archie's house and got two flashlights and Archie got his bat.

They walked to the woods, as the sun came down.

"Jug, about two weeks ago."

Jughead shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it." His tone came out gruff.

"Betty doesn't want me. I get it. I want to be with someone who isn't going to judge me. Who I don't always have to worry if I'm good enough for. We would've never worked out. I was just so stupid."

"You weren't stupid, Jug."

"Anyway I found someone more like me. She gets me, Archie. Anyway it seems like the universe doesn't want me to have good things."

"You mean Toni?" Archie asked.

"Yeah Toni," Jug said, pointing his flashlight toward some bushes. "I mean we like the same things. She's into all the weird shit I'm into. I know they always say opposites attract but that's bullshit. It's easier when you are alike."

"Betty tries Jug," Archie said.

"I know she does but one day she's just going to realize that I hold her back. I'm not what her mother wants. I can't be who she wants me to be. With Toni I can be me. I don't have to hide. I'm sick of hiding."

"Betty did what she did because-"

Suddenly Archie fell and his flashlight rolled away.

"Archie, are you okay?" Jughead said, shining his light on the ground. That is when he saw why Archie had tripped. Pink hair shone in the light and when he bent down he could see her clearly. Toni was lying face down on the ground. Her leather jacket now frayed and her bow was in her bloodied hand. Archie got up and looked down at the girl.

"Toni," Jughead whispered, turning her over. Her right cheek had been scratched. Jughead was on the verge of tears and he just stared.

"I've got her," Archie said, picking up the small girl. They went back to Archie's car and drove to the hospital.

Jughead and Archie sat in the waiting room.

"Hey Ronnie, I can't talk right now. I'm with Jughead. I'll tell you later." Archie said, and hung up his phone.

"Who would do this to her?" Jughead whispered. "I can't imagine who would do this. They messed with the wrong people, Arch."

"What do you mean?"

"Whoever did this to her not only messed with her. They messed with the Serpents and we will come after them."

The doctor approached them and Jughead's heart beat faster at the doctor's grim expression.

"Had you not brought her in when you did, she would've been dead in half an hour. Thankfully, she will make a full recovery but it will take months before she's back to normal. She will be okay."

"Can I see her?" Jughead asked, getting up quickly.

"Only her family members."

"She doesn't have anyone else," Jughead begged.

Jughead tentatively approached the hospital room. Toni lay there and for once she didn't have that grin she always seemed to have.

"Toni," he whispered. Grasping her hand he gave her a gentle squeeze. "They say you're going to be all right and you better be. Okay!" he yelled the last part at her. "You better be okay. Archie and I we found you. You're tough and you will make it through this. I don't know who did this to you but when I found out who they'll be sorry. Who did this to you?"

A tear had slipped from his right eye and he imagined her saying, "Oh come on, Jones. What the hell are you doing? Is that an actual tear?" Glancing at the clock he saw that he only had two minutes left to be with her. "They will pay," he whispered in her ear. "Who did this to you?" he asked her again. Sucking his teeth in frustration, he was about to head out the door. Suddenly just as he was about to leave, he heard.

"Betty."

Lollypop, lollypop, lollypop. I hoped you liked this chapter. Let me know. Thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

Sweet Pea had read _Of Mice and Men_ , but it was just so much easier to play dumb, and he enjoyed the laughter that it had caused. In fact as soon as he got the book, he read it that very night. There was something about the story that had resonated with him. In fact the story had reminded him of his own life. In it, he compared himself to Lennie, and Toni would've been George, however unlike him, she hadn't shot him, yet. He knew that sometimes he caused her a lot of trouble, but he also knew that she would never bounce and leave him. When he got the text from Jones that she was in the ICU unit, he quickly hopped on his motorcycle and sped to the hospital. His heart was beating so fast, as he wondered what had happened to her.

Barging right into the hospital he passed the nurses' station. "Sir, you have to sign in!" the nurse said at the station.

"I'm looking for Topaz, Toni Topaz," he said. He couldn't think straight.

"Sir, visiting hours are over," the nurse informed him.

"I have to see her," he said. "I'm her, her, brother!" he yelled. He could tell by the look on the nurse's face that she wasn't buying it.

"That's probably Sweet Pea," Jughead had said to Archie as he heard someone yelling from far away. The two approached the nurses' station and nodded at Sweet Pea. The sight of Andrews made his blood boil. Had he hurt Toni?

"Where is she? What happened to her?" he asked frantically.

"We think the Black Hood hurt her. She's in a coma. The doctor said that if Archie and I hadn't found her when we did she would've died."

Sweet Pea heard the words, but he couldn't believe them. Toni could've almost died.

"I need to see her," he said, shaking his head.

"You can't. Visiting hours are over," Archie said. Sweet Pea got up in Archie's face and glared at him.

"Are you going to stop me?" Archie remained silent. "I didn't think so," he said, bumping past the redhead.

Jughead told him the room number and Sweet Pea casually walked in. "Sir, you can't go in there," a security guard said.

Sweet Pea looked down at the security guard and hissed like a snake. The guard backed up and he knew he didn't have much time.

He looked at her in bewilderment at first. Strolling over to her, he reached for her hand, which was limp in his. He sighed as he stared at her. Someone had scratched her cheek and he swore he would fuck up the guy or girl who did this to her. Tubes were coming out her, like snakes emerging from her body.

"Your hair still looks perfect by the way," he said quietly and there was no response. He tried to imagine what she would say to him. Then a thought formed in his brain that took his breath away. What if he never heard her voice again? Or her laughter?

His eyes widened at the unbidden thought and he saw the guards appear in the doorway and he yelled out, "Dammit," as they surrounded him.

Jughead and Archie came close to him, but he just brushed past them. He needed to be alone right now. He headed to go to the Whyte Wyrm, where he told Tall Boy what had happened to Toni. All the Serpents would go to the hospital tomorrow to visit her. Sweet Pea sat on the couch as he recalled a childhood memory.

Toni was reading some book on serial killers when he had walked in. He leaned his bike against the wall and she noticed that he wasn't wearing any shoes just black socks.

"Why are you crying?" she asked, rushing over to his side.

"I'm not crying," he screamed at her.

"All right, fine. You aren't crying."

"I was just riding my bike and I went to the North Side."

"Yeah and go on."

"I don't want to talk about it," he said, rubbing his cheek. "It's nothing."

"Clearly," she said, crossing her arms.

"Fine. A boy and a girl were standing in the middle of the road and they were blocking my way. They were holding hands looking like the twins from The Shining."

Toni laughed at that statement. "Go on," she said with her hands on her hips.

"They had bright red hair and they started laughing at my shoes because they were scuffed. The girl called me a dirty dog and asked me if I was lost. She also asked me how old I was and I said ten. She said I was dumb and that I probably didn't really know my age. She also said I was probably fourteen cause of my height. I was going to turn around and head back when she said, "That's right take your butt back to the South Side." Then her brother took off his shoes and was going to give them to me, but she took them from him, and threw them up into the air. Anyway those shoes are hanging up on some cable lines. They began to laugh and suddenly she took out something from her pocket. It was maple syrup."

"And then what happened?" Toni asked confused.

"She threw the maple syrup on my shoes. She said, "Now, you'll have something sweet." And then they just ran off hand in hand."

"So what did you do with your shoes?"

"I went past the quarry and threw them in there."

"Shawn, you could've beaten them up."

"Whatever. Now I don't have any shoes," he said, pouting. She looked at his bike and could see that some maple syrup had landed there too.

"You know what your problem is?" she asked him.

"You're just too sweet. From now on, I'm going to call you Sweet Pea."

"The hell you ain't," he said. Ever since then the name had stuck and no one even knew that his real name was Shawn.

"What were you doing in the North Side anyway?" Toni asked him.

"Just dreaming. I like looking at the beautiful houses," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Dreaming can be dangerous," Toni informed him.

Taking out his wallet, he took out a picture he had of her. She was sitting on her motorcycle and her hair was out in its splendid glory.

Why had the Black Hood gone after Toni? Puzzled he thought Jughead might've had something to do with it. It had bothered him in the beginning that Jones was always around Toni. Instead of going to the quarry with them as she always did, she was suddenly hanging with Jones in some dingy office. The Black and Red or Red and Black. He didn't know and he didn't care.

It satisfied him when he had gone to go pick her up and Jones' smile quickly faded.

"Topaz, let's bounce," he'd said, hoping she wouldn't reject him, knowing she wouldn't. He didn't want to seem all that jealous so he invited Jones too. When Jones rejected him, he was just pissed that it happened in front of Toni. He wanted to beat him into submission just to show Toni that he could, but that deescalated quickly when she got in between them.

When he got riled up, she was always able to calm him down. It was as if he was a balloon that had been let go, and was floating up higher and higher, but she would catch him by the string and bring back to earth, back to reality.

He couldn't imagine a future without her in it. Didn't think he would have to. Hated that he had to now. Who would he look to now to see if their reaction matched his? He was always doing that. Gauging her reaction, wanting to make sure that they were on the same page comforted him. Exchanging glances with her let him know that they felt the same way. He was never one for talk and believed firmly that actions spoke louder than words.

He couldn't just sit here and do nothing. Heading over to Toni's house, he knocked but no one answered. He jimmied the lock and walked right in. He had only been to her house about five times. Her uncle wasn't exactly the most pleasant man. He was very controlling and if Toni wasn't home by nine she would get locked out.

"What are you doing here, Tall Boy?" Uncle Topaz asked, as he poured himself bourbon.

"The name is Sweet Pea," he said and he watched as the man stopped the pouring midway. They eyed each other.

The man began to laugh and Sweet Pea felt his anger increasing. "I came to tell you that Toni's in the hospital."

Sweet Pea expected the man to be shocked, or at least concerned. Uncle Topaz just took a swig of his drink and shook his head. "It was only a matter of time before something terrible happened to that girl. No matter how much I talked to her, it just went one ear and out the other."

"That's all you have to say?" Sweet Pea said, his voice rising at the man's lack of response.

"I'm not surprised. What do you want me to do?"

"You know what. Forget it. I'm here to get her a few things."

Sweet Pea took the rest of the man's bourbon and poured it down the sink. Ignoring the man's shocked face, he headed straight for Toni's room. Instantly he was hit with girly scents, and he headed straight for her dresser. He took some body sprays, hairsprays and perfumes. When he would sit next to her in class, she would annoy him by squirting body mist on his neck and she would say, "Come on, Sweet Pea, you're supposed to like this. It's named after you after all." She said she bought it from Bath Bed and Works or was it, he couldn't remember. He searched for her IPod and found it next to her camera. He figured if she heard some of her favorite songs she would probably wake up. He heard of that working sometimes. Sauntering over to her bookshelf, he took out a book on Ted Bundy. He would read this to her and just maybe it might work.

The next morning the hospital was packed with Southside Serpents. Sweet Pea never saw doctors and nurses look so scared that a part of him wanted to laugh. The Serpents gathered around Toni and vowed to find who had done this to her. She was scheduled to have a four hour surgery that would improve her condition. As he heard the Serpents discuss what they were planning on doing, he got sick of all them talking. It seemed that's all they did was talk and more talk. He noticed Jughead looking as if he was holding something back, but he can't tell if he's just brooding. A thought had crept into his mind. He had almost forgotten the plan altogether but it was time. Someone had hurt Toni; his, his, he didn't know what to label her. The truth was that she was more than just his friend. All he could think about was that it was time for the pipe bomb. It was time to blow up Southside High.

 **Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

Toni wakes up and Sweet Pea is elated, but of course he isn't willing to show it. When he goes to see her in the hospital, he musters a, "Hey," but he really wants to say more. He just can't. It would ruin his whole cool and deadly exterior.

"Did you miss me?" she asked, folding her hands on her lap.

"Me, miss you? Didn't even notice you were gone," he said coolly. "So when did the doctors say you are good to go?" he asked, crossing his arms in front of him.

"They said they are going to run a few more tests. If everything is okay though in two days."

He nods and then sighs. "I was going to do something stupid, while you were in here."

Toni rolled her eyes. "Is that supposed to shock me?" she said. "What were you going to do?" she said, crossing her arms in front of her.

"I was going to blow up Southside High," he said, looking down at her. "I didn't get to do it though. Three ghoulies did the deed before I did."

"What? I get into this mess and all that happens." He could see that she was sad. It wasn't the best school but she thrived there. She did her best and even though it was a gloomy place it was still a sanctuary for her.

"Anyway, we have to go to Riverdale High now," he told her.

He watched her intently as she took in the news. "I'm not going without you," he said.

"I can't believe this," she replied. She shook her head and then winced.

"Are you okay?" he said, noticing as she lightly touched her head.

"Yeah," she said. "It's just a lot to take in."

"I have to ask you," he said, "and it's okay if you don't want to talk about it."

"I have a feeling I know what you are going to ask. Go ahead anyway."

Sweet Pea decided to take a seat and asked, "What happened to you? The night you were attacked?"

Toni sighed heavily as she recalled that night. "My uncle wouldn't let me in. It was after nine and so I was making my way to Jughead's trailor." Sweet Pea felt a sliver of anger at that. "I should've been more alert but he pulled me from my bookbag and I fell. He got on top of me and scratched my cheek. He then began to hit me. Pummel me with his fists. All I could see were green eyes and he said, "This is for Betty." Then I just blacked out I guess."

She looked at Sweet Pea and she sensed the fury in his eyes. "We're going to find who did this you Toni. I promise."

"Don't tell Jughead that Betty might've been involved," Toni said.

"I won't. I can't believe we are going to Riverdale High. Those Northsiders play dirty but of course they always get away with it. Scott free. I'm sick and tired of it," he said, getting up.

"Sweet Pea. Promise me that when we do go to Riverdale High you won't get into any fights. We have to show them that we are better than that."

"I'll try but I can't promise you that," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "What's to say they won't start something?"

"Even if they do we shouldn't fight back. They already have these perceived notions about us and I want to prove them wrong."

"They will never see as anything but thugs and criminals."

"We'll make them change their minds. I say we avoid them the first few days and if they say anything just ignore them."

"I can't ignore that Andrews. He gets me so livid."

"Sweet Pea," Toni groans.

"What? What if we get to the school and they have graffiti up that's say LEAVE SERPENTS?"

"Like I said we ignore it. Unless," she said with a gleam in her eye. "If they do throw the first punch then just maybe then we'll have to fight."

"I didn't even tell you the worse part about the whole thing," Sweet Pea said with a smirk.

"What is it?" she asked.

"We're going to have to wear uniforms."

Her jaw dropped at the news. "Yep, I already got yours back at home. You're welcome."

Sweet Pea tilted his head and looked at her and she never saw that expression on his face before. She didn't know what it meant but she broke away from it by looking out the window.

"Jughead and Fangs are coming by later," he informed her. "Is there anything that you need?"

"No Sweet Pea. Thanks for everything. I know you bought my things from home. I also heard my favorite songs. Thanks for reading to me too."

She noticed his cheeks turn red and her stomach did a weird somersault at that. "Yeah sure," he said. "Anyway I'll come by later."

"Come here," she said as he almost walked out.

He came close to her and that's when he felt something cold on his neck. She had sprayed him with her perfume.

"You are so lucky that you're in the hospital right now or I would put you in here myself."

"Sure you would," she said, laughing and it was the sweetest thing he heard.


End file.
